US SPR crude oil contaminated by potentially lethal hydrogen sulphide
New York — Three firms that bought crude oil from US emergency stockpiles last year have raised concerns about dangerous levels of a poisonous chemical in the cargoes, according to internal energy department e-mails and shipping documents reviewed by Reuters. Problems with crude quality would make the US strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) less useful in an emergency because refiners would need to spend time and money removing contamination before producing fuel. The reserve is the world’s largest government stockpile, currently holding 665-million barrels. Hydrogen sulphide occurs naturally in crude and natural gas, but oil producers typically decontaminate such products before delivery to buyers. High levels of hydrogen sulphide can corrode refinery parts and pipelines — and can be lethal to humans in gas form. Authorities in all major consuming countries keep oil in reserve to ensure they do not run out of crude to refine into fuels if a natural disaster or war disrupts global supp...
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